1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the diagnosis and treatment of the HSV (herpes simplex virus) infection of the dermal nerve fibers (DNFs) and free nerve endings (FNEs) in the skin.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is distributed worldwide, with humans being the only natural reservoirs. The most important biologic property of HSV is its capacity to invade and replicate in the nervous system, and this may cause life-threatening complications. HSV establishes and maintains a latent infection in the nerve ganglion proximal to the site of primary infection. In or facial HSV infection, the trigeminal ganglia are most commonly affected. In genital HSV infection, the sacral nerve root ganglia (S2-S5) are involved. Reactivation of the established latent infection can be induced by various stimuli (e.g., fever, trauma, emotional stress, sunlight, and menstruation) resulting in overt or covert recurrent infection. These unique biologic properties of latent infection and periodic reactivation, along with asymptomatic virus shedding, enable HSV endemicity to be maintained easily in most human communities.